Hull FC and Hull KR will break a 64-year record this weekend in the Challenge Cup whilst the competition will also hit a milestone.
Saturday’s quarter-final between the cross-city rivals is set to draw in the largest attendance for that stage of the competition since 1989 when Leeds hosted Widnes, whilst a number of other records are also set to fall.
Hull FC have confirmed that it will be their largest home Challenge Cup crowd since 1961 meaning the game will break a 64-year record with ticket sales having already flown past 17,000, a figure which could increase now it’s been confirmed that star signing Will Pryce has been made available.
Incredibly, the game could have easily sold a further 3,708 should Hull KR have been granted the 30% allocation that clubs can allow in Challenge Cup games instead of the standard 15%, however, fan behaviour at the 2023 derby means a limited allocation remains in place.
Hull KR had sold out their allocation in just 12 minutes meaning they would have almost certainly sold the further 3,708 tickets should they have been available.
Challenge Cup attendance records set to fall including Hull FC v Hull KR derby
Credit: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Either way the game is set to be a huge occasion with the fixture set to mark the best attendance outside of the final since 2008 when Leeds and St Helens met at the semi-final stage.
It’s not just good news for Hull FC and Hull KR on the record-breaking front but for the competition as a whole with the new format meaning that the competition will surpass 100,000 in attendance this weekend, something it only achieved at the semi-final stage in 2024.
The new format for the Challenge Cup which saw Super League clubs enter in the Round of 32 as opposed to the Round of 16 as well as the decision to seed them away from home ensured large attendances for Championship, League One and amateur clubs.
Among those great attendances was the 7,000-plus at Widnes for their clash with Warrington whilst Workington and Whitehaven also benefited from Super League visitors. When Hull KR’s Craven Park hosted West Hull against St Helens, an estimated 5,500 attended.
With three of this weekend’s four games available to watch on TV, fans who cannot secure tickets will also be able to watch as teams make their bid to progress to the semi-finals, with the draw details confirmed earlier.
Betfred Challenge Cup Quarter Finals
Friday April 4 – Catalans Dragons v Salford Red Devils (7.pm BST), Wakefield Trinity v Leigh Leopards (8.pm, live on SuperLeague+)
Saturday April 5 – Hull FC v Hull KR (2.30pm, live on BBC One – coverage starts 2pm)
Sunday April 6 – Warrington Wolves v St Helens (2.30pm, live on BBC Two – coverage starts 2.05pm)
👏 Record-breaking crowds continue into the @Betfred #ChallengeCup Quarter-Finals!
🔢 Details for the Semi-Final draw have also been confirmed. The draw will take place live on BBC Two this Sunday at half-time of the @WarringtonRLFC v @Saints1890 Quarter-Final tie…
— Betfred Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) April 3, 2025
